Hey guys,
When I was a kid Leon Redbone was my guitar teacher. Every time he’d come through Minneapolis we’d meet up and he’d teach a bit more in the fingerpicking blues style of Blind Blake and Blind Boy Fuller. Like me, Leon was obsessed with Emmett Miller, a yodeling minstrel who recorded “Lovesick Blues” nearly 25 years before Hank Williams. Leon had “lost” (unreleased) Emmett Miller recordings from the early 1950s that he would not share with anyone. These included a version of “I Ain’t Got Nobody” with Miller accompanying himself on guitar. For decades I begged Leon to let me hear this record. He never did.
He made me a deal, however. If I could find 78s by Hungarian crooner Imre László, he’d let me hear the unreleased Emmett Miller recordings. Well, I was never able to find any 78s by Imre László – however when I was in Budapest a few years ago, I did score this compilation album. One Redbone mentioned to me several times as being his favorite (he especially loved the tune, “Marika”).
But by then it was too late as Leon had passed. I never heard the lost Emmett Miller sessions. And all I’m left with is this vinyl record and a good story.
Imre László was born in 1896, in Csongrád. He started to sing professionaly in 1926 – mostly Hungarian pop tunes. He passed away on January 1, 1975, in Budapest. This is the only collection of songs I have ever been able to find. It’s good, but I’m not sure why it was Redbone’s favorite…
It is now digitized for your listening enjoyment over on my YouTube channel. Gimmie a follow? LOL. Listen below!
Songs:
- Lehullott A Rezgő Nyárfa (The Leaves Of The Aspen Have Fallen)
- Elmegyek Ablakod Előtt (I Pass Before Your Window)
- Cserfaerdő Újra Zöldül (The Oak Forest Turns Green Again)
- Szomszédasszony, Szomszédasszony (Neighbour Women, Neighbour Women) – Ha Megehülök Kinyitom A Bicskámat (When I Get Hungry I Open My Penknife)
- Száz Szál Piros Rózsát (A Hundred Red Roses)
- Marika (Marika)
- Nem Tudom Én Mit Vétettem (I Don’t Know What I Did Wrong)
- Árad A Duna Vize (The Danube Waters Rise)
- Esik Eső Hegyen, Völgyön (It Rains Over Hill And Dale)
- Ha Az Enyém Volnál (If You Were Mine)
- Hogyha Ír Majd Édesanyám (When You Write To Me, Mother)
- Badacsonyi Kéknyelűt (Badacsony Kéknyelű Wine)
- Ütött-Kopott Öreg Csárda (Tumbledown Old Inn)
- Kiballagok A Vasúthoz (I Trudge Out To The Railway)
- Nem Való Bokréta, Gyűrött Süveg Mellé (A Bouquet Does Not Suit A Crumpled Cap)
- A Cigányok Sátora (The Gypsies’ Tent)